They’re some of the most popular candies and are a favorite around Halloween. But are Twizzlers gluten free? And does it make a difference which type of Twizzlers candy you buy?
I’ve eaten a lot of Twizzlers in my day. From the original Twizzlers twists to their bites, nibs, and pull ‘n peels, Twizzlers come in a variety of flavors and styles for candy lovers like me. But if you’re on a gluten-free diet or have a gluten sensitivity, can you still enjoy them?
Almost all kinds of Twizzlers contain enriched wheat flour, so they are not gluten free. That includes Twizzlers Twists, Nibs, and Bites in all flavors.
But I’ve found one kind of Twizzlers that is considered gluten free. I’ll tell you what it is — and provide some gluten-free Twizzlers alternatives.
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What are Twizzlers?
Twizzlers has a long and storied history. The twisty candy was first produced in 1845 at the Young & Smylie Confectionery Company in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. And the first flavor was black licorice.
Young and Smylie continued to make Twizzlers until the mid-1970s, when the Hershey Company acquired it. That’s also when new flavors were introduced to the Twizzler’s line up, including, strawberry, cherry, and grape. Since then, more Twizzlers products have been introduced, including nibs, bites, and gummies
In 1998, The Guinness Book of World Records featured Twizzlers for making the longest piece of licorice ever. It measured in at 1,200 feet and weighed 100 pounds.
Are Twizzlers Gluten-Free?
A main ingredient in most Twizzlers products is enriched wheat flour. That’s essentially flour that’s been fortified with nutrients lost in the original milling process. They include niacin, riboflavin, and folic acid, which help promote healthy cells and circulation.
But enriched wheat flour also contains gluten. So Twizzlers are not considered safe for those with Celiac disease, a gluten allergy, or other gluten sensitivities. This applies to all the different flavors of Twizzlers twists, bites, and nibs.
Twizzlers also provides clarification about this on its website, confirming that this sweet treat contains gluten and recommending several gluten-free products made by its parent company Hershey.
Apart from enriched wheat flour, other ingredients of Twizzlers include:
- Corn Syrup
- Sugar
- Corn starch
- Palm Oil
- Salt
- Citric Acid
- Lecithin
- Artificial Flavor and Color
- Mineral Oil
Are Twizzlers Gummies gluten free?
The only kind of Twizzlers candy that does not have gluten-containing ingredients is their gummies. This chewy candy lists corn syrup, sugar, gelatin, artificial flavoring and artificial colors as main ingredients. But none of these have gluten, so Twizzlers Gummies are considered safe for those on a gluten-free diet.
In response to a customer inquiry, Twizzlers confirmed that “Twizzlers Gummies Original Flavor Candy does not contain gluten ingredients.”
👉🏼 Related: Are Skittles Gluten Free?
Gluten free Twizzler alternatives
If you’re looking for gluten-free options for Twizzlers, you have several to choose from. Below are a few made by Hershey — which are primarily chocolate-based products — along with others that are similar to Twizzlers themselves.
Gluten-free candy made by Hershey
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- Hershey’s Chocolate Kisses
- Heath Chocolate Bar
- Rolo Candies
- Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bars
- And others
👉🏼 Related: Is KitKat Gluten Free?
Gluten-free licorice candy similar to Twizzlers
- YumEarth Organic Licorice candies
- Wiley Wallaby Low Sugar Gluten Free Candy Twists
- SmartSweets Red Twists Licorice Candy
- Lakrids by Bulow Sweet Licorice
FAQ
Most Twizzlers candy products are vegan as they do not contain any ingredients derived from animal products. But Twizzlers gummies contain gelatin which is an animal-derived product. So the gummies are not vegan.
Original black Twizzlers twists are considered licorice as they include licorice root extract, a plant-based flavoring. Other flavors of Twizzlers like cherry and strawberry are referred to as licorice-type candy or simply flavored candy twists because they do not contain licorice extract.
Red Vines twists include wheat flour in its ingredient list so they are not gluten free. Since wheat flour contains gluten, Red Vines are not considered safe for those with a gluten intolerance or on a gluten-free diet.
More gluten-related answers
Find out if some other popular candy varieties contain gluten. Tap the following posts.
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